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| Karasuma Oike Station | |
|---|---|
| Name | Karasuma Oike Station |
| Native name | 烏丸御池駅 |
| Native name lang | ja |
| Address | Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture |
| Country | Japan |
| Operator | Kyoto Municipal Transportation Bureau; West Japan Railway Company |
| Lines | Kyoto Municipal Subway Tōzai Line; Kyoto Municipal Subway Karasuma Line |
| Opened | 1981 (Karasuma Line); 1997 (Tōzai Line) |
| Connections | underground passageways; bus terminals |
| Code | K08 (Karasuma Line); T13 (Tōzai Line) |
Karasuma Oike Station Karasuma Oike Station is a major underground rapid transit interchange located in Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto, serving as a junction between the Kyoto Municipal Subway Karasuma Line and Tōzai Line. The station functions as a key node connecting cultural centers, commercial districts, and government institutions in Kyoto, facilitating transfers among subway, bus, and pedestrian networks. Its strategic position supports access to landmarks, corporate offices, educational institutions, and hospitality venues across central Kyoto.
The station sits under the intersection of Karasuma Street and Oike Street in central Kyoto, linking urban nodes such as Shijō Kawaramachi, Nishikyō Ward, Gion, Kawaramachi Station (Hankyu) and cultural sites like Nijo Castle, Kyoto Imperial Palace, Sanjūsangen-dō, Kiyomizu-dera and Heian Shrine. Nearby municipal and prefectural bodies include Kyoto Prefectural Government Office, Nakagyo Ward Office, Kyoto City Hall, and institutions such as Kyoto University, Doshisha University, and the Ritsumeikan University network by transit connections. The station supports tourism, business travel, and daily commuting for employees of companies like Nintendo, Kyocera, Shimadzu Corporation and organizations like Japan National Tourism Organization and UNESCO-listed cultural property managers.
The hub is served by the Kyoto Municipal Subway Karasuma Line and Tōzai Line (Kyoto) providing through services to lines and operators including connections toward Takeda Station (Kyoto) for Kintetsu Kyoto Line, access to Kyoto Station for Tokaido Shinkansen transfers, and links facilitating travel to Higashiyama and Arashiyama. Rolling stock types operating through the interchange include Kyoto Municipal models used in coordination with timetable planning common to operators such as JR West, Keihan Electric Railway, and Hankyu Railway for integrated trip planning. The station code identifiers are widely used in multilingual signage aligned with standards from entities like Japan Railways Group and municipal transit authorities.
The complex features multi-level underground platforms, cross-platform interchange design elements, and extensive concourses with ticket gates, automatic fare collection compatible with ICOCA, Suica, PASMO, PiTaPa and other IC cards. Passenger facilities include elevators, escalators, barrier-free access following guidelines from Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (Japan), restrooms, and signage in Japanese, English, Chinese and Korean consistent with standards promoted by Japan National Tourism Organization. Retail spaces within the concourse are occupied by chains and local vendors affiliated with brands like 7-Eleven, Starbucks, FamilyMart, and local specialty shops tied to Kyoto crafts associations such as Nishijin Textile Cooperative and Kyoto Handicraft Center.
The Karasuma Line segment opened in 1981 amid urban subway expansion initiatives influenced by postwar redevelopment projects and planning frameworks associated with Ministry of Transport (Japan), while the Tōzai Line segment commenced in 1997 as part of later phases to improve east–west connectivity. Construction involved coordination with municipal development plans, heritage conservation overseen by Agency for Cultural Affairs (Japan) for nearby historic districts, and civil engineering contractors that have worked on other major projects like Osaka Metro expansions. The station has undergone periodic upgrades to accessibility, seismic retrofitting standards advocated by Japan Society of Civil Engineers and technology updates following integrated ticketing policies from Japan Smart Card Association.
Ridership reflects central Kyoto usage patterns, with daily passenger numbers influenced by commuting flows to corporate offices, students attending institutions such as Kyoto University and Doshisha University, and tourism peaks tied to events like the Gion Matsuri, Aoi Matsuri, and seasonal influxes during cherry blossom viewing and autumn foliage season. Statistical collection follows municipal transit reporting practices comparable to data published by Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation and Osaka Municipal Transportation Bureau. Annual and daily ridership estimates are used for planning by the Kyoto Municipal Transportation Bureau and inform service adjustments coordinated with regional operators like JR West.
Prominent nearby sites include Nijo Castle, Kyoto Imperial Palace, Pontocho Alley, Shijō-dori, Teramachi Street, and cultural venues such as Kyoto International Manga Museum, Museum of Kyoto, and performing arts venues associated with Minami-za. Commercial centers include department stores and chains such as Takashimaya, Daimaru, Isetan, and shopping arcades connected to Shinkyogoku Shopping Arcade. Hospitality assets nearby include major hotels affiliated with groups like Hyatt, Marriott International, Hilton, and traditional ryokan linked to Japan Ryokan & Hotel Association. Financial and corporate presence includes branches of MUFG Bank, Mizuho Bank, and local headquarters of firms such as Citizen Watch.
The station links to surface bus services operated by Kyoto City Bus, Keihan Bus, and long-distance coaches serving routes to Kansai International Airport, Osaka International Airport, and intercity lines connecting to Nagoya and Tokyo. Bicycle parking facilities and pedestrian networks integrate with municipal cycling initiatives endorsed by Ministry of the Environment (Japan) and local urban mobility programs. Wayfinding integrates with multilingual tourist information centers often linked to Japan Tourism Agency support programs and municipal visitor services.
Category:Railway stations in Kyoto Prefecture